Interesting article. Maybe this kid is glimpse of the future? a future where orientation isn't an issue? i would love to see that future. "If our sexual orientation is simply part of who we are, why wouldn't it be there in our elementary years?" "I've heard from countless adults who say they knew that they were gay as young as kindergarten but lacked the language to talk about it. And in most cases, they knew it was something wrong that they should hide." Amelia: When Your 7-Year-Old Son Announces, 'I'm Gay'
I heard about this on Michelangelo Signorile's Sirius radio show, very interesting. Though, I cant help but wonder if maybe 7 is a bit too young? Well, Least he has a good family and has plenty of time to sort it out.
he probably doesn't have a grasp on his sexuality any better than any other 7 year old. when i was seven, i had a confirmed crush on dolly parton (go figure) and look how i turned out. later on, i then had a crush on george michael (i knew he was gay before he did lol). like the author says (might have been in one of her other articles), we wouldn't bat an eyelash at a 7 year old girl who had a justin bieber poster so why would we if a 7 year old boy had the same poster? (note: if i was a 7 year old boy, id totally be in the bag for Bieber)
I agree that sexual orientation could change but the acceptance of the parents and teachers is absolutely incredible and I personally admire it. In some common circumstances, parents with friends of gays, lesbians, transvestites, and bisexuals accept and support their friends but will refuse to believe or supporttheir TEENAGE children or step-children on this matter when they come out. And teenagers, just saying, have a bit more knowledge and experience with sexual orientation. It's like these parents are saying, "we support gayness, but you can't be gay. I would know already." personally I tried to tell a few members of my fam and only got through to one. My 7 year old cousin. Go figure. And my lesbian/bi (she's not sure which) stepsister, age 15. My mom told me that since her "gaydar" didn't go off on me, I wasn't bi. Which is crap because other people, like my bisexual ex-boyfriend have guessed I was bi.
my view is that one cant know sexuality with certainty until they start to go into puberty. When you begin to enter sexual maturity, to a varying degree, your sexuality will begin to present itself. it is not 100%, as alot of people still cling to social stigma, and people will discover their orientation at different times in their life. But before you are even capable of having sexual urges, I dont think one is capable of understanding their sexuality, since technically, you are not sexually mature enough to be sexually active, or have the first signs of sexual growth. Now as for Gender, that is a while different issue. I think that since there are physical differences between the brains of the two genders, and they have shown people who are transgendered do show differences in their brain structure and brain chemistry, that someone who is younger can know that their physical gender does not match their emotional/mental gender. Gender awareness is not tied to sexual maturity.
Awesome! I "knew" I was bi when I was 7. I mean, I was the only boy I knew who wanted to dance with 'Casper' in human form (movie), so that was kinda an obvious sign. I mean, I didn't know I was bi until much later in life and was really confused because I also like girls (and a lot more). So it was harder than it would be for someone who was gay due to that grey area. But, still - I think the time it takes is just 'coming to terms' with it, while it is there from very early on. I don't see knowing sexuality as wanting to be intimate, rather the more innocent forms of it. Like wanting to dance with a cute boy you like. Or thinking the girl sitting across from you in school is amazing. These "innocent" feelings that come before puberty strikes. I'm sure the younger gay guys who are brought up in a completely open environment, that know from early on, would probably sense it by only thinking the boy is amazing while their friends feel that way about girls. I don't know what it's like for someone who is gay. But, as a bi guy - both feelings were there like they are now. I just didn't understand the guy part because I didn't know it could be both. Bisexuality at that time wasn't as widely known as it is today.
Girls and boys know they have an ancient love-hate relationship with each other long before they become sexually active. It's not unusual for straight people to start talking about non-sexual intimacy with the opposite sex very early in life. 3 year old girls like to torment boys with "playing house." It's common-place on Kindergarten playgrounds for a party of boys to chase around a party of screaming girls. You remember this! Just look back! Well, a kid who was exposed to a show like Glee, which portrays gay love in a thoroughly wholesome light, as it should, will realize pretty quickly that he's "one of those gay people" if leaning that way really runs deep for him or her. It's emotional, not just sexual. I still wouldn't be caught dead watching Glee. I'd put a teenage son, daughter, niece, nephew or younger cousin in front of it in a heartbeat because it's wholesome, goody-goody, hugbox entertainment that teaches good morals and good life lessons, but I'd have to leave the room to keep from hurling up my guts. ---------- Post added 18th Feb 2012 at 03:09 PM ---------- I mean honestly, puppy food is not intended for adult dogs! Vlech!
while i agree a lot of ppl dont figrure out their sexuality until pubert or later it is possible to know at a young age. ive known i like guys since i was 8 and i dont think a phase can last 6 years just saying
"Katie and Christiaan, sittin' in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" My kindergarten year, I was being toted around by fag hags. Un-fucking-believable. How did I stay in denial until my late teens? Is it possible for a human being to be so dense?
wrong, totally wrong, you dont have to go through puberty to know your own sexuality ive known i was gay waaaaaaaay back into my earliest memories at around 5 or 6, thats why i dont get or comment on threads where people are confused about their own sexuality in their teens or well into their adult years, for me it has always been guys, even if i didnt know what gay was.
What a beautiful article, it makes me so happy to know that kid has such wonderful parents. I think in his case it's very probable for him to know so early, it just seems so natural. God, I cannot possibly wait to be a father; I am so eager to have children, I wish I was 30 already!
I didn't realise I was gay / whatever until I was 10, 11 or 12, but in hindsight some things I thought were definitely signs that I was. For example, I remember having some sort of crush on a guy at school when I was 8 or something. I don't think I interpreted it as actual sexual attraction, and I still thought I'd "get married to a girl like every other guy". That may have been because I didn't exactly know what gay / puff meant or that there was such a thing as "a man and a man" aswell as "a man and a woman". I remember those two words being flung around all the time though, "If you hit girls you're a puff" and all that. So from my experience, I'd say the story's definitely plausible.
First thing I thought of when reading the thread title: [YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYVK_OqyUzk[/YOUTUBE]
awesome. love me some larry david. that kid doesn't need to come out, baby he's already out!! Ernst Röhm (the gay Nazi) must be rolling in his grave lol
Greatest thing I've heard all day. I definitely knew at 10 at least, wish my envirmonet had been just as welcoming. Good for those parents.
Someone knowing their sexual orientation at seven years old? :dry: Please. That's so young, I don't think any seven-year-olds would even realize what sexuality is for a few years.
